Goodbye
by Kare
Summary: One last one! LOL Kate/Angel of course, since it's from me. I wrote this after it was announced that ER was going to L&O...since I knew that meant we wouldn't get a real goodbye from the writers. And I was right.


AUTHOR: Karen "Powrhug" Wood  
  
E-MAIL: powrhug@sky.net  
  
TITLE: Good-bye (1/1)  
  
RATING: PG-13  
  
CATEGORY: Angst, UC couple  
  
COUPLE: Angel/Kate  
  
NOTES: If you don't like the idea of Angel and Kate together? Well you probably won't like this. Spoilers? None really for a specific episode. I guess the fact that Elisabeth is going to leave and be on Law and Order might be a spoiler. Written 9/19/01.  
  
SUMMARY: With word that the wonderful/talented Elisabeth is going to Law and Order, I thought I'd write an ending for Kate and Angel.  
  
ARCHIVE: Sure, if you want it just take it...but let me know where so I can come visit! Anyone I've said okay to before doesn't need to ask.  
  
DISCLAIMER: The usual. I don't own them. The creators/producers/writers of Angel: The Series do. I'm just writing my thoughts down about the characters and sharing. Without profiting of course.  
  
  
  
  
  
"You do know she's leaving town don't you?"  
  
The words slowly permeated the brain that had been put on auto-pilot, a common self-preservation mechanism he'd learned to utilize whenever he was around the Host for too long.  
  
"Um..what?"  
  
"You do know she's leaving town don't you?" The Host now shouted, leaning in close to the befuddled-looking vampire for emphasis.  
  
"Yeah. Yeah, I heard you, I just don't know what you mean."  
  
"What do you think I mean Einstein? It was a simple question if you ask me."  
  
Angel sighed and reflected on whether he should just let it drop or pursue the conversation that was making him feel even older than he already was.  
  
"Who! Who is leaving town?"  
  
"Your lady friend."  
  
Angel widened his eyes and raised his eyebrows, wordlessly indicating his need for more specific information.  
  
"Oh. Come. On. Tall, dark and broody, surely that narrows it down significantly, you don't impress me as the type who has his dance card full if you catch my drift." The Host said before raising his frothy umbrella- clad drink to his lips.  
  
Angel closed his eyes and sighed, vowing silently to not give The Host the pleasure of making him ask.  
  
"Okay, fine! Be that way. The lady in question is one Detective...oops, make that EX-Detective Lockley. Ring any bells for ya?"  
  
"Kate?" Angel asked, eyes snapping open.  
  
"None other. The scuttlebutt on the grapevine is that that chick is flying the coup, and that flight is scheduled for the red-eye."  
  
"Tonight." It was a statement rather than a question.  
  
"Tell that man what he's won Johnny!" The Host cried, turning toward the gathering crowd before swirling back around with a flourish.  
  
When he came full circle the chair opposite was empty.  
  
___________________  
  
The knock was so soft that she almost missed it, and silently wondered if she wished she had when she opened it to find him standing there.  
  
"Angel."  
  
"Kate."  
  
They stood staring at each other, each actively wondering what the other was thinking in an effort to hide from their own thoughts.  
  
"Can I..?"  
  
"Oh yeah, sure, I'm sorry." she said, pulling the door wide so he could pass.  
  
Their shoulders brushed slightly as he did so.  
  
"Nice place you have here," he said as he looked around, shifting his weight from side to side in his discomfort.  
  
"Angel, you've been here before," she reminded him quietly and gestured for him to sit on the couch to their right.  
  
"Yeah. I uh...yeah."  
  
"Can I help you?"  
  
"Help? Help me? No. No, I'm fine Kate," he replied, then added pointedly, "How are you?"  
  
"Good Angel. Great. I'm great. Just...you know...just great." She said, looking down at her hands as she perched on the arm of the loveseat.  
  
"Good."  
  
"Good."  
  
The silence fell again as they each made a concerted effort not to look at each other across the narrow room.  
  
"The reason I'm here..."  
  
"I tell you what Angel," Kate interrupted, knowing that he knew and dreading having to talk about it. "Ms. Herrera down a couple of doors? Well she makes THE best banana bread...you do like banana bread don't you?"  
  
"Uh...yeah sure, I guess," he stammered, looking confused and almost hurt.  
  
But it was lost on Kate, who was already on her way to the kitchen without waiting for his reply. "I'll get you a piece. I mean, I can NOT eat it all myself, and I don't want to hurt her feelings or anything..."  
  
She continued on, talking about the bread in a rush of words and emotions that threatened to drown her. Clinging to the subject like it was her life preserver.  
  
She didn't even notice or feel his presence when he appeared in the doorway.  
  
"Kate, I..." he started but stopped when she jumped at his voice, knife slipping down through bread to graze her thumb.  
  
"Damn!"  
  
And the knife fell with a clatter to the floor.  
  
"Are you okay? Here let me see," he said, trying to grab the hand that she now was shaking vigorously in front of her.  
  
"No, no, it's...it's fine. Really. It's nothing, I just cut...It's just a cut. It's no big deal."  
  
Tears pooled in her eyes but neither of them knew whether it was from physical pain or from something else entirely.  
  
"Kate please," he said quietly.  
  
She raised her eyes to his and, at the same time, unconsciously raised the injured hand to her mouth.  
  
He watched her actions with a strange mixture of fear and loathing and longing and desire, remembering a time not too long ago when he'd tasted the same blood. He could tell she remembered as well, and wondered if she shared any or all of his emotions.  
  
His answer, or at least an answer, came when she slowly bridged the short distance between them. Eyes locked on eyes. Mouth still on wound.  
  
She felt him stiffen as she came within a breath of him. The air was thick around them.  
  
Kate took her thumb from her mouth, dragging it slowly down the length of her tongue and down her lower lip before making a complete break. Her eyes closed momentarily when she heard him grown at the sight of her actions.  
  
Steadfast in her purpose, she opened them again to meet his stare before letting her own gaze fall to his lips. Lips that were already slightly parted. Lips that were cool under her touch.  
  
She gently glided her dampened thumb over them, coating them with the color of her.  
  
His tongue slowly traced the same path just on the inside of his mouth before finally reaching out far enough to make contact.  
  
The taste of her was like going home. So familiar...the feeling of drinking from her came rushing back in a flash so powerful it was almost a physical blow. Feelings he'd buried deep the night he'd done it. Feelings that now overwhelmed him.  
  
He attempted to speak. "Kate, I can't...we can't..."  
  
"Shhhhh..." was all she said before pulling her hand away and replacing her thumb with her mouth on his. Tasting herself again but this time indirectly, directly on him.  
  
They kissed hungrily, each caught up in the power of emotions too long kept hidden. Too long denied.  
  
An eternity passed before they parted. Each one struggling with internal demons the other could only guess at. He was the first to break completely away, knowing he needed to put distance between them, but not sure if it was to escape the blood or the feelings.  
  
They stood, she near the counter, he at the door. Both breathing heavily.  
  
The silence was back.  
  
Angel turned and strode quickly out of the kitchen. He was at the front door when she caught up to him. Stopping him with only a word, not trusting herself to actually touch him again.  
  
"Wait."  
  
He didn't turn, but faltered, hand poised above the doorhandle.  
  
"You...you never said why you came."  
  
He slowly licked his lips, tasting the remnants of her, before answering, "I came to say good-bye."  
  
And with that he opened the door and quietly slipped out into the hall.  
  
And she was left. With silent tears running down her face. In her silent apartment. With a heart that was deafening in its beating.  
  
-end- 


End file.
